This Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe is easy to make and tossed with a yummy lemon-herb vinaigrette.
If you’re looking for the perfect make-ahead dish for your next gathering, this Mediterranean pasta salad is it. ♡
It’s fresh, vibrant, and bursting with flavor thanks to a colorful mix of veggies, briny kalamata olives, and tangy feta. The real star of the show is a zippy lemon-herb vinaigrette that brings everything together. I love how quickly this recipe comes together and how well it holds up for picnics, potlucks, or easy lunches throughout the week. You can serve it cold or at room temperature, and it’s always a crowd favorite.
Let’s make a batch!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Recipe Tips
Here are a few quick tips to make this pasta salad a success:
- Be sure to generously salt your pasta water. This simple step adds flavor right from the start and is crucial for seasoning the pasta itself.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Slightly firm pasta holds up better in salads and won’t get mushy as it sits.
- Let it marinate. If you have time, let the salad rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to meld.
- Taste and adjust. Before serving, give it a quick taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. The flavors can mellow as it sits.
Recipe Variations
This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is incredibly customizable, so feel free to toss in any of these extras:
- Add a protein: Toss in grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas to make it more filling and protein-packed.
- Add a different cheese: Replace feta with crumbled goat cheese or shaved Parmesan for a different flavor twist.
- Add greens: Stir in baby spinach, arugula, or chopped kale just before serving for extra nutrients.
- Add jarred veggies: Add artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes for extra veggies.
- Add fresh herbs: Mix in chopped parsley, basil, dill, or mint for extra freshness and flavor.
- Add nuts: Add toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds for extra crunch and protein.
More Pasta Salad Recipes To Try!
Looking for more easy pasta salad recipes to try? Here are a few of our all-time faves:
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Ingredients:
- 12 ounces dry pasta (I used farfalle)
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 2/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- half of a medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey (or your desired sweetener)
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
To Make The Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
- Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of generously-salted water according to package instructions. Drain pasta, then rinse under cold water for about 20-30 seconds until no longer hot. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and red onion to the mixing bowl, then drizzle all of the vinaigrette evenly on top. Toss until all of the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra feta and black pepper if desired.
To Make The Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette:
- Whisk all ingredients together until combined.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
This looks so yummy and easy! I can’t wait to try it with some grilled chicken. Do you think if I make a big batch and store in containers for a few days (for meal prepping for lunches) it will still be okay? I won’t add onions and cheese until eating but it would be so much easier to keep it mixed with the dressing rather than taking everything separately to lunch.
Thanks, Gia — we hope you love it! And grilled chicken would be an awesome addition! Yes, we think if you make a big batch, it should still be good after a few days, for sure. :)
You do realize that your photos show black olives. Is that extra ingredient you failed to mention? I would think so because black olives are necessary for this to actually be a decent salad.
Hi Pasha! They’re actually kalamata olives, but they are definitely listed in the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
MEDITERRANEAN PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces dry pasta (I used farfalle)
1 English (hot house) cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
I’ve been looking for some lunch recipe ideas and this is honestly perfect. I always find the problem with trying to eat somewhat healthy is the food looks so unappetising but this looks so aesthetically pleasing! Cannot wait to try it out, thank you for sharing! Jess xxx
Thanks, Jess — we hope you love this! :)
Hey! Thank you for the recipe. It was so quick and so delight! A keeper for sure. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Reem!
Can you make this pasta the night before?!
Hey Alyson! Yes, definitely! We actually think it tastes better the longer the flavors have to meld together. :)
This was SO delicious. I didn’t have red wine vinegar so I ued balsamic….and I got a stronger, denser flavor that really complimented the pasta and the lemon kick. Making this again and again for sure. The dressing is really delightful.
Thanks Alyssa — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! And we love that you used balsamic — we’ll definitely have to try that sometime, as we bet it’s super tasty! :D
If I make the day before, should I add the dressing or leave it until just before serving? I’m just worried that it will get all mushy.
I can’t wait to make it. It looks fabulous!
Hi Abbey! We actually think the flavors would have more time to get happy if you added the dressing ahead of time as well. We hope you enjoy! :)
Should the total time be less than the prep time?
Whoops — typo! Thanks for catching that. It should be 15 minutes total time. :)
This was awesome! I’ve tried a million pasta salad recipes trying to find a solid go-to recipe, and I’ve finally found it! The flavor of the vinaigrette is perfect. Happy day!
Thank you Joanna — we’re so happy you enjoyed it! :)
Do you think this would be good with pepperon? If I do add pepperoni should I use a different dressin?
Hi Amanda! We think pepperoni would be awesome in this, and we wouldn’t change the dressing unless you wanted to. Enjoy! :)